Apparatus and method for delivering liquids
First Claim
1. A liquid delivery apparatus comprising;
- a liquid delivery line for delivering liquids different from each other in a property such as density, viscosity, or the like;
a body having an inflow port into which said liquid flows, and an outflow port out of which said liquid flows;
rotators which are rotated within said body to move said liquid from said inflow port to said outflow port by given volumes along the internal wall of the body; and
a flow regulation means for continuously delivering said liquid by given volumes to said liquid delivery line based on the rotation of said rotators.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flow regulator is provided in a liquid delivery line. The flow regulator includes flow regulation a body having an inflow port through which liquids different from each other in a property such as density, viscosity, etc flow in the body, and an outflow port through which the liquids flow out from the body. A set of rotators, which are rotated within the body in respective directions opposite to each other is provided to move the liquid by given volumes along the internal wall of the body. And a drive unit for driving the set of rotators is also provided. This construction provides an apparatus which can be used for delivering a liquid, which, in delivering liquids different from each other in viscosity, a given volume of the liquid can be accurately delivered to a liquid delivery line in a continuous manner even though the viscosity of the liquids have varied.
99 Citations
85 Claims
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1. A liquid delivery apparatus comprising;
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a liquid delivery line for delivering liquids different from each other in a property such as density, viscosity, or the like;
a body having an inflow port into which said liquid flows, and an outflow port out of which said liquid flows;
rotators which are rotated within said body to move said liquid from said inflow port to said outflow port by given volumes along the internal wall of the body; and
a flow regulation means for continuously delivering said liquid by given volumes to said liquid delivery line based on the rotation of said rotators.
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2. A liquid delivery apparatus equipped with a liquid delivery line which can deliver liquids different from each other in a property such as density, viscosity, or the like,
wherein a flow regulation means is provided in said liquid delivery line, said flow regulation means comprising: - a body having an inflow port into which said liquid flows and an outflow port out of which said liquid flows;
rotators rotatable within the body to move said from said inflow port to said outflow port by given volumes along the internal wall of said body and to continuously deliver said liquid from said outflow port to said liquid delivery line; and
a drive unit for driving said rotators. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 56)
- a body having an inflow port into which said liquid flows and an outflow port out of which said liquid flows;
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42. The liquid delivery apparatus comprising;
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a liquid delivery line for delivering a first liquid;
at least one other liquid delivery line for delivering at least a second liquid having a property different from the properties of said first liquid; and
a flow regulating means for regulating the flow of said first liquid throught said liquid delivery line based on a flow fluctuation of at least said second liquid. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. A liquid delivery apparatus comprising;
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a liquid delivery line for delivering liquids which have different properties such as density, viscosity or the like;
a flow meter which comprises a body, an inflow port into which said liquids flow and an outflow port out of which said liquid flows, and a rotator of moving said liquids by given volumes from said inflow port to said outflow port along an internal wall of said body, said flow meter outputing flow signals corresponding to the flow rates of said liquids based on the rotation of said rotators;
a flow regulator for regulating the flow rate of said liquids continuously delivered through said liquid delivery line by being driven based on said flow signals; and
a control unit for setting the control level of said flow regulator. - View Dependent Claims (45, 50, 51, 52, 85)
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46. A fluid delivery system for conveying a first fluid in response to the flow of a second fluid, comprising:
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constant volume flow regulator for moving the first fluid therethrough at rate proportional to the flow rate of the second fluid and a control system responsive to the flow rate of said second fluid for controlling said constant volume fluid regulator to output said first fluid at a rate proportional to the flow rate of the second fluid,
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47. A fluid delivery system for conveying a first fluid at a constant volume over a selected time interval, comprising:
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constant volume flow regulator for moving the first fluid therethrough at a constant volume over a selected time interval, and a control system responsive to changes in the flow rate of said first fluid for controlling said constant volume fluid regulator to output said first fluid at a constant volume over a selected time interval.
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48. A fluid delivery system for conveying a first fluid in response to the flow of a second fluid, comprising:
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a constant volume flow regulator for moving the first fluid therethrough at rate at least partially determined by the flow rate of the second fluid, and a control system comprising, a memory storing a flow rate of said second fluid and a value representing a ratio of a first fluid volume to a second fluid volume, and a feed control unit responsive to a stored flow rate of the second fluid and ratio value for controlling said constant volume fluid regulator to output said first fluid at a rate proportional to the flow rate of the second fluid and the ratio of the first fluid volume to the second fluid volume.
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49. A fluid delivery system for conveying a first fluid in response to the flow of a second fluid, comprising:
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a constant volume flow regulator for moving the first fluid therethrough at rate at least partially determined by the flow rate of the second fluid, and a fluid flow meter measuring the flow rate of said second fluid, and a control system comprising, a feed control unit responsive to the measured value of the flow rate of the second fluid for controlling said constant volume fluid regulator to output said first fluid at a rate proportional to the measured flow rate of the second fluid.
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53. A fluid delivery system for conveying a first fluid in response to the flow of a second fluid, comprising:
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a constant volume flow regulator for moving the first fluid therethough at rate determined by the flow rate of the second fluid, including a set of rotators which are rotated within the body in respective directions opposite to each other to move the first fluid threrethrough, a mixing means for mixing said first and second fluids, a first valve means in a fluid line between said fluid flow meter and said mixing means to selectively block flow of said second fluid to said mixing means, a second valve means in a fluid line between said constant volume flow regulator and said mixing means to selectively block flow of said first fluid to said mixing means, and a control system comprising, a feed control unit responsive to the flow rate of the second fluid, for controlling said constant volume fluid regulator to output said first fluid at a rate proportional to the flow rate of the second fluid and said ratio, said feed control unit including a timer. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 57, 60, 61)
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58. A fluid delivery system for conveying a first fluid at a constant volume over a time interval, comprising:
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a constant volume flow regulator for moving the first fluid therethrough at a constant rate independent of changes in a physical property of said first fluid, said constant volume flow regulator producing a signal proportional to the rate of fluid flow therethrough, a control system coupled to said constant volume flow regulator and responsive to the fluid flow rate signal for controlling the flow rate through the constant volume flow regulator to be a constant rate independent of variations in a physical property of said first fluid that tend to alter its flow rate.
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59. A fluid delivery system for conveying a first fluid at a constant volume over a selected time interval, comprising:
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a constant volume flow regulator for moving the first fluid therethrough at a constant rate independent of changes in a physical property of said first fluid, said constant volume flow regulator producing a signal proportional to the rate of fluid flow therethrough, a control system coupled to said constant volume flow regulator and responsive to the fluid flow rate signal for controlling the flow rate through the constant volume flow regulator to be a constant rate independent of variations in a physical property of said first fluid that tend to alter its flow rate a first conduit for carrying said first fluid, an inlet for said second fluid, a second conduit connected to said inlet for carrying said second fluid to a first location, a third conduit for carrying said second fluid to a second location, said third conduit branching off from said second conduit, a fluid flow meter connected between the inlet and the location where the third conduit branches from the second conduit.
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62. A method for delivering a liquid, wherein
a flow regulator is provided in a passage in which the liquid is passed, and a flow regulation level is controlled so that a reference volume of said liquid is sequentially delivered through said passage by passing through said flow regulator.
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63. A method for delivering a liquid, wherein
a flow regulator is provided in a passage in which a liquid is passed; -
the flow regulation level of said flow regulator, which varies in accordance with changes of a property such as the density, viscosity or the like of said liquid is detected; and
said flow regulator is controlled so that said flow regulation level is a reference volume level.
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64. A method for delivering a liquid, wherein
a flow regulator is provided in a passage in which a liquid is passed; -
said liquid is pressurized in a container in which the above-described liquid is reservoired;
the pressurized liquid is fed from said container to said flow regulator through said passage;
the flow regulation level of said flow regulator which receives said pressurized liquid is detected; and
said flow regulator is controlled so that said flow regulation level is a reference volume level.
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65. A method for delivering a liquid, wherein
a flow regulator is provided in a passage in which a liquid is passed; -
the flow regulation level of said flow regulator which varies in accordance with a change of a property, such as the density, viscosity or the like, which differs according to the kind of liquid detected, and said flow regulator is controlled so that the flow of said liquid at a reference volume level occurs continuously from said flow regulator.
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66. A method for delivering a liquid, comprising;
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a feeding step of pressurizing a liquid reservoired in a container and feeding said liquid into a passage connected to said container;
a detection step of detecting, in said passage, values of a property such as density, viscosity or the like which varies according to the kind of liquid; and
a control step of controlling the flow rate of said liquid at a given flow rate determined by a reference volume level of said liquid even though values of said properties are varied.
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67. A method for delivering a liquid, wherein
a flow regulator is provided in a passage through which a liquid is passed, and a pressure control valve is located upstream or downstream of the flow regulator; -
said liquid is pressurized in a container reservoiring said liquid;
the pressurized liquid is fed from said container to said flow regulator through said passage;
the flow regulation level of said flow regulator which receives said pressurized liquid is detected; and
said flow regulator is controlled so as to render said flow regulation level substantially identical to a reference volume level.
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68. A method for delivering a feeding medium, wherein
a flow regulator which regulates the flow rate of said feeding medium such as a liquid, a gas or the like, is provided in a tube passage; -
said feeding medium is fed to said regulator through said tube passage; and
said feeding medium is delivered to said tube passage when the load of said flow regulator caused by the feeding of said feeding medium is larger than a control range of said flow regulator, and limiting the flow rate of said feeding medium based on the load which exceeds said control range. - View Dependent Claims (69)
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70. A method for delivering a liquid, wherein
a flow regulator which delivers a pressurized liquid of a fixed volume level is provided in a tube passage; -
said pressurized liquid is fed to said flow regulator through said tube passage;
the flow rate of said pressurized liquid which is delivered by driving said flow regulator is measured;
the drive level of said flow regulator is set so that said pressurized liquid is continuously delivered at a desired flow rate based on said measuredflow rate; and
said pressurized liquid is delivered based on the drive level which was set. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. A method of conveying a first fluid at a constant volume over a selected time interval, comprising:
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providing a constant volume flow regulator, measuring the flow rate of said first fluid, comparing the measured flow rate with a reference flow rate, and modifying the flow rate of the first fluid through said constant volume flow regulator to maintain said reference flow rate, whereby the flow rate of the first fluid is maintained constant independent of changes in a physical property of said first fluid that tend to alter its flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. In a fluid delivery system a method of determining a quantify of available fluid to be delivered comprising:
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providing a constant volume flow regulator including a set of rotators which are rotated within the body in respective directions opposite to each other to move the fluid, measuring the flow rate of said fluid, comparing the measured flow rate with a reference flow rate, and modifying the speed of rotation of said rotators to modify the flow rate of the fluid through said constant volume flow regulator to maintain said reference flow rate, producing a signal from said constant volume flow regulator derived from the load on said rotators, providing a reference signal value corresponding to a load change an said rotators resulting from the absence of said fluid, and signaling when said produced signal corresponds with said reference signal to indicate that the fluid has been used up.
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84. A method of conveying a fluid at a constant volume over a selected time interval, comprising:
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providing a constant volume flow regulator, measuring the flow rate of said first fluid, comparing the measured flow rate with a reference flow rate, and modifying the flow rate of the first fluid through said constant volume flow regulator to maintain said reference flow rate, whereby the flow rate of the first fluid is maintained constant independent of changes in a physical property of said first fluid that tend to alter its flow rate, wherein said step of measuring said flow rate includes measuring one of a voltage and current supplied to said constant volume flow regulator, said step of comparing includes the step of comparing the measured current or voltage to a reference current or voltage, and said step of modifying the flow rate includes modifying one of the voltage and current applied to the constant volume flow regulator.
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Specification